New Life, Old Guitar
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day two hundred and thirty-three: Bon Jovi Showcase 1/7 Burt and Carole have a quiet home date, leading to a musical interlude and a big question.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th cycle. Now cycle 12!_

_So I've been wanting to do an artist showcase for a while, and then a few weeks ago a friend had a whole lot of Bon Jovi CDs in her car and I went "That is perfect!" So I chose seven songs, and… Here we go!_  
**1 of 7: "Always"**

* * *

**"New Life, Old Guitar"  
Burt/Carole**

Kurt was out with Mercedes that evening, had informed his father of this the previous week. So Burt had called Carole, offering an in-house date, promising her an evening to remember. She had agreed, asking if he needed help with dinner. He insisted he would be able to take care of it.

When she arrived, he looked like he'd been in a tornado, and she just had to laugh. "Yeah, that's what I thought," she just smirked on.

"I tried," he defended, smiling still. "Kurt's the one with the cooking skills, I'm more of a… well, I make a mean hot dog, but I wanted to do something more…" he explained as she came in. She 'pondered' this for a moment before finally smiling.

"I like a… mean hot dog or two," she bowed her head. He relaxed into a smile, indicating for her to follow, taking her into the living room.

"I think it might be better for this evening if you don't see what the kitchen looks like right now." Carole was too amused to hide. "Okay, so… just give me a bit of time?" He got a nod and he headed off.

Carole waited on the couch for a moment, but eventually stood to look around. It was interesting to see how much this house seemed to show both Burt and Kurt in its style. Then there were subtle touches, that were left behind and possibly missed by most, of a long gone wife and mother… She looked to the pictures, of the Hummels, all three of them…

She had this with Burt, this thing in common that had shaped and changed them over the years. They had been made to become the whole world for their child, and had no world of their own… It had been one thing that connected them, but it wasn't all of it. Yes, he had lost his wife, she had lost her husband… But he was Burt… kind and big-hearted, uncomfortable in certain situations but never to shy away; she was still Carole, with that same bit of kindness, comfortable in who she was but open to change from to time. And Burt and Carole had found they could have their world together.

After a short while, Burt came to gather her and take her out into the backyard. Whatever tornado had hit the kitchen had left the yard untouched. There were their plates, with Burt's 'mean hot dogs,' set up on a simple table setting.

"See? This is perfect," she told him, standing by him. He smiled back at her, guiding her to take a seat so they could eat.

As the plates had cleared, quiet had set in for a moment just long enough that he remembered something he'd thought about in the last few days. He looked at Carole, hesitating to ask her the question he wanted to. As good as things were going in this time since they'd first met, and even considering where they were at in their lives, it was a big thing to ask, to suggest… and he deviated.

"Want to know a secret?" he looked at her. She gave him a quick nod. "So Kurt's just… He's got music, and he's got a lot of his mom in him for that, but…" he trailed on. Carole smirked, looking at him.

"Have you been hiding some talents under your cap?" she asked.

"I don't know about talent, I…" he laughed. He looked back at her, seeing her curiosity. He might be shooting himself in the foot for it, but he held up his finger and ran back into the house. He climbed up to the attic, looking around until he found what he was looking for. When he returned to the yard and Carole saw the guitar case, she laughed, entertained already. "I haven't played in a long time, and just the idea of bringing this out shows how much I'm trying to impress you." Carole laughed.

"You're doing a pretty good job of that." Encouraged by this, he grasped the guitar. It was one of his favorite songs, and he knew he could… hopefully… still play it. Maybe it would give him what he needed, to ask her.

_[B] "This Romeo is bleeding / But you can't see his blood / It's nothing but some feelings / That this old dog kicked up _

_It's been raining since you left me / Now I'm drowning in the flood / You see I've always been a fighter / But without you I give up _

_Now I can't sing a love song / Like the way it's meant to be / Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore / But baby, that's just me _

_And I will love you, baby - Always / And I'll be there forever and a day - Always / I'll be there till the stars don't shine / Till the heavens burst and / The words don't rhyme / And I know when I die, you'll be on my mind / And I'll love you - Always"_

She was looking back at him, smitten, and he was pleased to see he wasn't as rusty as he'd thought he would be.

_[B] "Now your pictures that you left behind / Are just memories of a different life / Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry / One that made you have to say goodbye / What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair / To touch your lips, to hold you near / When you say your prayers try to understand / I've made mistakes, I'm just a man _

_When he holds you close, when he pulls you near / When he says the words you've been needing to hear / I'll wish I was him 'cause those words are mine / To say to you till the end of time _

_Yeah, I will love you baby - Always / And I'll be there forever and a day - Always _

_If you told me to cry for you / I could / If you told me to die for you / I would / Take a look at my face / There's no price I won't pay / To say these words to you _

_Well, there ain't no luck / In these loaded dice / But baby if you give me just one more try / We can pack up our old dreams / And our old lives / We'll find a place where the sun still shines _

_And I will love you, baby - Always / And I'll be there forever and a day - Always / I'll be there till the stars don't shine / Till the heavens burst and / The words don't rhyme / And I know when I die, you'll be on my mind / And I'll love you - Always"_

When he finished, she cheered him on like the good little groupie she was. In that one action, she'd gone and given him the will to ask.

"What would you think of you and Finn… moving in with Kurt and I?" She looked surprised for a beat… and then she smiled, and he breathed out.

He could feel it would be good, for all of them. He honestly felt they all needed each other, could learn and grow from one another. If it hadn't been how it would help with the boys as well he might have doubted it, but this felt right.

THE END


End file.
